Blind Ego

Solo-project of RPWL's guitarist Kalle Wallner

Kalle Wallner (guitars)
John Jowitt (bass)

John Mitchell (vocals)

Paul Wrightson (vocals)
Tommy Eberhardt (drums)

guests:

Clive Nolan
(additional vocals)

Yogi Lang (Keyboards, sound design)

Mischa Schleypen (vocals)

Stefan Obermaier (sound design)

producer: Yogi Lang (for Farmlands Music)

Guitarist Karl Heinz "Kalle" Wallner (RWPL). On his solo-project BLIND EGO he took a closer look in the mirror to reflect on a number of touching, very personal experiences. The Mirror answered back ten times in a wonderful way... .

"The "Mirror'- Songs derive trom different phases in the last three years", says Kalle WalIner. "During this time a lot happened in my personal lite. Although I originally didn't plan on using autobiographical issues it did happen in the end. The songs are a result ot different emotions: anger, hate, grieve. While writing I sort ot stripped down to the bottom ot my soul and tried to convert all ot this into intense music."

This explains one part ot the projecfs name "EGo", but why "BLIND"? "'BLIND' stands for initiating and finishing this project on my own without letting myself be distracted trom anything. In addition, working alone makes you blind in a way because infuences from the outside don't have to be taken into consideration at first." Wallner produced demo tapes and invited various renowned musicians to the Farmlands studio, which he and his colleague Yogi Lang trom RPWL run together, to help him give his work a perfect finish.

"I had al ready asked John Jowitt ( Bass/IQ, JADIS) at the German ECLIPsED-Festival and kept in touch with him ever since. He established the contact with Paul Wrightson (ex-ARENA) who sings the stately, rather emotional tracks. John Mitchell (ARENA, IT BITES, KINo) has impressed me tor a long time as a singer and I was sure that he was the right person tor the more rock-like songs.

Tommy Eberhardt I know to be one ot the best drummers In South Germany. I was very glad about Clive Nolan (ARENA, PEN DRAGON) not only recording Paul Wrightsons vocals but also contributing backing vocals himself. It was clear trom the beginning that I wanted to work with Yogi Lang as a producer. We know each other very well and each knows how to get the best out of the other."

Mission accomplished. "Mirror" is full ot a devotion which has no match yet. BLIND. EGO sounds like a straighter version ot RPWL with more guitars. Even it Wallner never uses captivating solo’s to push these to the foretront and gives the record great elegian moments which are to be enjoyed.

The guitar-vocal ballad "Black Despair" ("The saddest song I ever wrote") perfectly offers a combination ot both while Wallner's creative solo makes you go all goose-pimply. A similar sensation arises with "Don't Ask Me Why" which is radiant thanks to a strong guitar motive but mainly because ot the perfect harmony ot vocals and guitar and which shows Wallners versatility.

More rock-like, partly just instrumental are the songs "Obsession", "Open Sore" and "Moorland" with a5/8 beat.